Happy The Hard way
by InvisibleBlade
Summary: Her lips formed two words that finalized her and Rory's exit from The Doctor's life, "It's over." Rory/Amy. Set after The Angels Take Manhattan.


**DISCLAIMER: I do not own **

**A/N: Based on the Song Happy the hard way. Requested by Doctorwhofangirl11. An Amy/Rory one shot. Set after The angels take Manhattan.**

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She Blinked.

Amy fell through time. The faces of the raggedy man that had whisked her away in a bigger on the inside box, and her beautiful grown up baby girl faded from her sight but still burned brightly behind her eyelids. Red flames surrounded her, and she tripped, and tumbled into another world.

She expected to fall but he caught her. The boy who been waiting no longer had to wait for her. He stared at her with huge wet eyes as though if he blinked, even for a second, she'd disappear. Then a smile spread across his face, an impossibly huge grin that told her she had made it, they were safe, and everything was over. He hugged her so tightly that she could hardly breath, and for a moment they rocked in each other's arms in a silence that ushered away all of their previous fears.

Then it hit her, the carnage that had grown around her came tumbling down, crushing her heart till it formed bright red sawdust and came tumbling down to the ground. She shook against him, and cried. There would be no more adventures, no more Doctor, they'd never see them again, she'd never be able to reach out to the stars or breath another planets air.

She looked up at her husband. She still had him. He was what was keeping her going now.

She silently wondered to herself how it was possible to even feel what she was feeling. So sad, and yet so happy. How it was that she was so in despair, and yet at peace with how things had turned out.

Her lips formed two words that finalized her and Rory's exit from The Doctor's life, "It's over."

It took him a moment to realise what she meant, but when he did he also shattered into pieces.

Through the tears were faint whispers of laughter. They were together, side by side, and they'd pull through this. They always did.

* * *

Amy and Rory began to build a life together in New York. Rory was still training to become a Doctor, and Amy was writing a column for the local newspaper. It was like nothing had changed. It was like they were still living out the lives that they had grown so accustomed to. They lived in a little apartment on the side of town with a balcony. They liked to sit on the balcony and look up at the stars. They imagined a certain floppy haired man, and curly haired woman travelling within them. It helped to calm the storm of pain that was still present between the couple. It helped them remember all the wonderful memories that they had made up there in the deep blue sky, and beyond. That was all they had now. Memories.

It was only when a package arrived at their door that the pain writhed to the surface again. It was old, and worn, wrapped in brown paper, and within it lay pages of paper with neat hand writing pressed into its white surface. These weren't any words. These were the words that made up the last chapter of their lives with the wonderful Timelord, and their daughter.

On the first page lay a note from River. It told them of how much they were missed, of how he blamed himself, of how he was sinking further and further into himself, of how he hardly smiled anymore, of his lonely travels, of how she was trying to stay strong but didn't know how much longer she could hold her husband up. She wanted Amy to reach out to him. Perhaps he'll listen to you were her exact words.

"Why would he listen to me?" She whispered, turning to her husband and leaning her head on his shoulder.

" He loves you. Amy I think we were the closest thing to family that he had. You have to try." Rory's words pushed salt into her wounds.

How could a love hurt so badly?

Amy realised in that moment that not only had they lost a great friend, they had lost someone who had been family, someone who had been seared onto their lives. They'd lost that. All they had was each other now. She couldn't help but think that it just wasn't enough to keep them strong. What were they clinging to now? Each other, and the vast growing void of the unspeakable grief they both felt. Was that really enough to keep them holding on?

Then a picture dropped from the package like a bombshell of hope. It flitted and danced until it rested at the Pond's feet. Rory bent down and picked it up. A single tear drop slipped down his cheek. It was the Christmas The Doctor and River had come to stay. Their first Christmas as a family, and their last Christmas as a family too. The Doctor was wearing a paper hat a size too big, apparently paper hats were the new cool. River had her arm around him, she was grinning mischievously. The reason for that grin was because a moment after the picture was taken she destroyed The Doctor's new paper hat. Then there was the two of them. Amy was kissing his cheek, and was holding a glass of wine in her hand. Rory looked awkward but happy none the less. This picture was alive with life. This was their life. That joy, that life, that pure golden memory lay there in front of them.

They didn't feel like the same people in the picture. They felt like they were looking in at the happiness as outsiders.

Amy nodded, " I'll do it." She was going to say one last farewell to the alien man who had stolen both of their hearts.

* * *

Music was playing in the background, and they were dancing across the floor. All their worries washed away. There's no other place they'd rather be than right here, and right now.

Rory's finally a doctor, and Amy is now the chief editor of the local newspaper. The Pond's have finally grown up.

In the corner, shining in the sunlight is a picture of their past. It stands above the roaring fire. The flames flicker upwards but never touch it. The memory is protected by an unknown force.

They were finally happy. They just had to be happy the hard way. Only ever looking back to remember all of the wonderful times so when things got really bad their tears would soon be replaced by a smile.

How could a love hurt so bad?

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**Please leave a review x**

**A/N: I'm taking requests for song fic based one shots right now. So request away. I'll write about any pairing, and any theme, to any song. **


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